Kr/Xe Separation over a Chabazite Zeolite Membrane

Herein we demonstrate that chabazite zeolite SAPO-34 membranes effectively separated Kr/Xe gas mixtures at industrially relevant compositions. Control over membrane thickness and average crystal size led to industrial range permeances and high separation selectivities. Specifically, SAPO-34 membranes can separate Kr/Xe mixtures with Kr permeances as high as 1.2 × 10 ^–7 mol/m² s Pa and separation selectivities of 35 for molar compositions close to typical concentrations of these two gases in air. In addition, SAPO-34 membranes separated Kr/Xe mixtures with Kr permeances as high as 1.2 × 10 ^–7 mol/m² s Pa and separation selectivities up to 45 for molar compositions as might be encountered in nuclear reprocessing technologies. Molecular sieving and differences in diffusivities were identified as the dominant separation mechanisms.